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February 18, 2025
News

New Trump Executive Order Seeks to Expand IVF Access.

On Tuesday, President Donald J. Trump issued a new executive order to expand access to in-vitro fertilization (IVF). The signing occurred at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach. According to the directive, federal agencies will investigate the implementation of greater protections on IVF access and ways to reduce the cost of the procedures for families.

The executive order instructs the Domestic Policy Council to develop strategies to make IVF and similar fertility treatments more financially accessible to Americans. President Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, stated that the order will significantly reduce out-of-pocket expenses for the costly fertility procedure, which can exceed $25,000 per cycle for some families.

During the Mar-a-Lago press conference, Trump’s senior aide, Will Scharf, explained that the order was necessary because many Americans find current IVF costs prohibitive. The policy move comes as President Trump navigates complex discussions on reproductive health, particularly among Evangelical Republicans and women. According to the Trump White House, the order—in part—seeks to help reverse declining fertility and birth rates among Americans.

The executive order was framed as part of Trump’s broader approach to reproductive health issues, which has previously focused on leaving decisions about abortion and embryonic rights to individual states. This position gained attention following an Alabama court ruling last year that classified frozen embryos as children, raising potential legal implications for those who destroy them.

Some Republican constituencies publicly oppose IVF procedures. Catholic opposition to IVF arises from the Church’s stance against practices involving the destruction of embryos. Several Evangelical and conservative Protestant organizations hold similar stances.

By Popular Demand.
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12 minutes ago
Christopher Tomlinson
Election Integrity

Trump Sets Sights on Notorious Democrat Fundraising Machine.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: President Donald J. Trump is looking to crack down on foreign donations to American elections, which could affect a major Democrat fundraising platform.

👥 Who’s Involved: President Donald J. Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, the Democratic Party, and ActBlue.

📍 Where & When: President Trump is expected to sign a memorandum this week.

💬 Key Quote: “[D]espite repeated instances of fraudulent donations to Democrat campaigns and causes from domestic and foreign sources, ActBlue is not demonstrating a serious effort to deter fraud on its platform.” — House Oversight and Administration Committees staff report.

⚠️ Impact: The crackdown could significantly impede one of the Democrats’ most influential fundraising platforms.

IN FULL:

President Donald J. Trump is set to crack down on the notorious Democrat fundraising platform ActBlue. The America First leader is expected to sign a memorandum on Thursday, April 24, targeting foreign contributions to American elections. Many have claimed that foreigners could exploit ActBlue for such purposes.

A senior White House official disclosed that Attorney General Pam Bondi will be tasked with investigating whether ActBlue facilitated contributions via “dummy” accounts or allowed foreign nationals to donate to Democratic entities.

Until recently, ActBlue did not mandate card verification value (CVV) numbers for financial transactions, and allegations arose about internal directives encouraging ActBlue employees to be “more lenient” in accepting contributions. Between September and October 2024 alone, at least 237 overseas transactions reportedly involving prepaid cards were identified as suspicious by Republicans.

“[D]espite repeated instances of fraudulent donations to Democrat campaigns and causes from domestic and foreign sources, ActBlue is not demonstrating a serious effort to deter fraud on its platform,” contends a House Oversight Committee and Administration Committee staff report on the issue.

U.S. federal law bans any foreign nationals and governments from contributing to federal, state, or local election campaigns. Still, a lack of vetting means foreign donor restrictions can be circumvented.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton launched his own investigation into ActBlue in December 2023. He alleges that the platform is being exploited to make straw donations using prepaid cards. Paxton has claimed there is evidence that people have used false identities and untraceable payment methods.

In December last year, a Wisconsin court approved a subpoena directed at ActBlue. This came after a GOP consultant claimed someone was using his identity to give money to the platform.

Jack Montgomery contributed to this report.

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By Popular Demand.
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53 minutes ago
Politics

Greg Abbott Unveils ‘Texas DOGE’ Initiative.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) signed a bill to establish the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office (TREO), likening it to the national Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

👥 Who’s Involved: Governor Greg Abbott, Texas legislature, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Senator Phil King, President Donald J. Trump, and Elon Musk.

📍 Where & When: Texas, United States; bill signed on Wednesday.

💬 Key Quote: Abbott on social media: “Texas will now have our own DOGE… This will make government more efficient and less costly.”

⚠️ Impact: The TREO aims to streamline state regulations by identifying and eliminating unnecessary rules to increase efficiency and promote economic growth.

IN FULL:

Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) has officially enacted a law establishing the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office (TREO), drawing inspiration from President Donald J. Trump‘s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which technology and space exploration mogul Elon Musk advises. Signed into law late Wednesday, the TREO is designed to reduce state bureaucracy by identifying superfluous and ineffective regulations, thereby mirroring the objectives of the federal DOGE.

The Texas Legislature had previously approved the bill, which was introduced by Republican Senator Phil King. The bill also calls for the creation of an advisory council to recommend the elimination of excessive regulations found to be redundant or that hamper economic growth. Additionally, it mandates the launch of an online portal where Texans can access state agency regulations, coupled with a requirement for agencies to simplify language in regulatory documents.

“Signed SB 14 into law today at the Texas Capitol. Texas will now have our own DOGE, known as the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office,” Gov. Abbott wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) late Wednesday. “This will make government more efficient and less costly. Texas continues to move at the speed of business.”

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has expressed support for the initiative, noting that it is expected to foster continued economic prosperity in Texas by reducing regulatory red tape. The Republican Lieutenant Governor described the initiative as “DOGE, Texas-style” and emphasized that the agency will be tasked with identifying and ending “unnecessary and ineffective rules.”

However, not all Texas Republicans support the new agency. Texas State Representative Brian Harrison (R), who opposed the bill creating TREO, argued during the legislative debate: “The point of DOGE is to cut government, reduce spending, and shrink the bureaucracy. Unfortunately, this bill does the exact opposite.”

Harrison and other opponents contend that TREO’s regulatory prerogatives already overlap with existing bodies like the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission. Critics argue this will create more government waste rather than less.

TREO is set to begin operating in September.

Image by World Travel & Tourism Council.

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By Popular Demand.
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2 hours ago
News

Trump Plans Massive 100-Foot Flagpoles at White House for American Flags.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: President Donald J. Trump announced plans to install two new 100-foot-tall flagpoles on the White House grounds.

👥 Who’s Involved: President Trump, National Park Service (NPS).

📍 Where & When: Washington D.C.; Announced on a Wednesday at a White House event.

💬 Key Quote: “They’ve needed flag poles for 200 years,” President Trump stated, adding, “We’re putting up a beautiful, almost 100-foot-tall American flag on this side, and another one on the other side—top-of-the-line, paid for by Trump.”

⚠️ Impact: The addition will bring prominent American flags to both the North and South lawns of the White House, supplementing the existing rooftop flagpole.

IN FULL:

President Donald J. Trump is set to enhance the patriotic display on the White House grounds with the introduction of two new flagpoles, each reaching nearly 100 feet in height. Announced during a White House event on Wednesday, President Trump stated that these flagpoles would grace the North and South Lawns.

Later in the day, the President was seen on the North Lawn surveying the site where a flagpole will likely be placed. The initiative emerges from Trump’s push to see more visible symbols of national pride at national parks and other government property, including the White House.

Emphasizing the need for such installations, Trump remarked, “They’ve needed flag poles for 200 years.” He added: “We’re putting up a beautiful, almost 100-foot-tall American flag on this side, and another one on the other side—top-of-the-line, paid for by Trump.” A small flagpole is already mounted on the White House roof.

This gesture aims to reflect the administration’s focus on visibly promoting national symbols within high-profile government areas in the lead up to July’s celebrations of America’s 250th birthday. The National Park Service oversees the White House and its grounds, as the property is technically a national park owned by the American people and stewarded by the NPS. While details surrounding the exact timeline for the installations remain under wraps, the announcement suggests that planning and execution are underway.

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By Popular Demand.
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2 hours ago
News
World

Government Outlaws Muslim Brotherhood.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: The Muslim Brotherhood has been banned in Jordan, with officials arresting 16 people linked to security threats involving weapons and explosives.

👥 Who’s Involved: The Jordanian government and security services, the Muslim Brotherhood.

📍 Where & When: Jordan, announcement made on Wednesday.

💬 Key Quote: Interior Minister Mazin Al Farrayeh stated that “elements of the Muslim Brotherhood” had “worked in darkness to carry out activities that undermine stability and tamper with security and national unity.”

⚠️ Impact: The decision highlights Jordan’s measures to counter Islamist national security threats and points to broader concerns over the Muslim Brotherhood’s operations.

IN FULL:

The Kingdom of Jordan has taken action to ban the Muslim Brotherhood as of April 23, citing national security concerns. This move follows the April 15 acknowledgment by Jordanian security services of arrests involving 16 individuals accused of posing national security risks linked to weapons, explosives, and plans involving drones and fighter training.

Interior Minister Mazin Al Farrayeh explained the reasoning behind the ban, highlighting that elements of the Muslim Brotherhood “worked in darkness to carry out activities that undermine stability and tamper with security and national unity.”

The Muslim Brotherhood, established in 1928 by Hassan al-Banna in Egypt, has often been scrutinized. Al-Banna famously wrote that Islam is naturally inclined to assert its influence globally. In recent years, various entities have expressed concern about the group’s activities and influence. These include a 2007 declaration of support for Osama bin Laden.

During President Donald J. Trump’s first administration, there was consideration of potentially labeling the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. European security services have mirrored these concerns, consistently taking a negative view of the Muslim Brotherhood’s presence. Investigations have pointed out elaborate networks linked to the group throughout Europe, operating under various front organizations.

Jordan is just the latest country to ban the Muslim Brotherhood in the Middle East. The organization is considered a terrorist group in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt.

Image via World Economic Forum.

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By Popular Demand.
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3 hours ago
News

Alex Soros Criticizes Climate Group for Fixation on ‘Palestine.’

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Alex Soros, heir to billionaire plutocrat George Soros, criticized the Sunrise Movement for diverging from its environmentalist goals to focus on “Palestine.”

👥 Who’s Involved: Alex Soros, Sunrise Movement, George Soros, Democracy PAC, Sixteen-Thirty Fund.

📍 Where & When: United States, during and after the 2020 election season.

💬 Key Quote: “We gave them money, and now all they do is talk about Palestine. It’s ridiculous.” — Alex Soros

⚠️ Impact: The controversy led to accusations of antisemitism against the Sunrise Movement for boycotting events with Zionist Jewish groups and called into question the use of funds by Soros-backed organizations.

IN FULL:

Alex Soros, son of billionaire plutocrat George Soros and current chairman of his Open Society Foundations activism empire, has publicly voiced dissatisfaction with the Sunrise Movement. In an interview, Alex Soros expressed frustration over the environmentalist group’s focus on Israel and the Palestinians rather than climate change.

“What the hell did they do, by the way?” he said of the group, which receives around a third of its funding from Soros-supported entities. “We gave them money, and now all they do is talk about Palestine. It’s ridiculous.”

The Sunrise Movement, which publicly identifies its mission as attacking fossil fuels, received $750,000 during the 2020 election period from sources associated with Soros. However, tensions have since emerged between the group and its billionaire funder due to recent controversies involving its Washington, D.C. chapter.

In October 2021, the D.C. branch of Sunrise Movement declined participation in a rally for D.C. statehood, citing the involvement of certain Jewish organizations known for their support of Israel. This decision was met with significant backlash, including accusations of anti-Semitism, due to the group’s call to exclude what it described as “Zionist” groups.

While George Soros is ethnically Jewish, the liberal atheist has not historically been a supporter of the Jewish State. The Israeli government has even defended his critics, such as Hungarian leader Viktor Orban, against accusations of anti-Semitism, saying such allegations should not be used to “delegitimize criticism of George Soros, who continuously undermines Israel’s democratically elected governments by funding organisations that defame the Jewish state and seek to deny it the right to defend itself.”

Image by World Economic Forum/Valeriano Di Domenico.

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By Popular Demand.
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4 hours ago
Culture
News

Trump Admin Exploring $5,000 Baby Bonus Plan to Tackle Demographic Decline.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: The White House is considering a “baby bonus” of $5,000 for new mothers to encourage higher birth rates in the U.S.

👥 Who’s Involved: White House aides, policy experts, birth rate advocates, and the Trump administration, including Vice President J.D. Vance and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

📍 Where & When: United States, ongoing discussions reported by The New York Times.

💬 Key Quote: “While a $5,000 baby bonus may temporarily increase birth rates…such financial incentives alone have minimal lasting impact on overall birth rates,” stated Theodore D. Cosco, a research fellow at Oxford Institute of Population Ageing.

⚠️ Impact: If implemented, the policy could provide financial assistance to new mothers, but experts caution it may not significantly alter birth rates without broader systemic support.

IN FULL:

The White House is examining a proposal to offer a $5,000 “baby bonus” for women having children to address declining birth rates in the United States. This comes amid discussions with policy experts and advocates seeking solutions to boost the nation’s fertility figures, as an alternative to mass migration.

Encouraging more births could address long-term demographic challenges, with more deaths than births observed in recent years. The Congressional Budget Office projects the U.S. fertility rate to average 1.6 births per woman over the next 30 years, well below the 2.1 necessary for maintaining a stable population without mass migration.

President Donald J. Trump has previously expressed concern over birth rates. Initiatives under this administration have included expanding IVF access and prioritizing federal funding for regions with marriage and birth rates above the national average. Vice President J.D. Vance also wants to see “more babies” born in the U.S.

Comparative policies in other countries show mixed results. Australia’s “baby bonus” and Hungary’s pro-family policies offer insights into various approaches, yet external factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war, and their associated shocks to jobs and prices, have hampered their short-term effectiveness.

Mass migration is unlikely to be a long-term solution to demographic issues, however. United Nations studies dating back to the turn of the century show that, because migrants also age, the annual influx would have to increase to impossibly vast totals to maintain a 4:1 ratio of working-age people to senior citizens.

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By Popular Demand.
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4 hours ago
Immigration
News

WATCH: Nigel Farage Proposes Creation of Deportation Secretary.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Nigel Farage has urged the British government to appoint a minister focused on deportations.

👥 Who’s Involved: Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform Party, and Robert Jenrick, former Conservative Party leadership candidate.

📍 Where & When: Farage spoke at a press conference in Dover, England, on April 24.

💬 Key Quote: “What I’m calling for isn’t actually anything particularly radical. It’s actually just common sense,” Farage stated.

⚠️ Impact: Farage’s comments precede English local elections in May, which will be a significant test of whether Reform’s growing popularity can translate into votes.

IN FULL:

Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform Party, has proposed the establishment of a ministerial post dedicated to deportations within the Home Office, roughly equivalent to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). “What I’m calling for isn’t actually anything particularly radical. It’s actually just common sense,” he said.

Farage delivered these statements at a press conference in Dover, England, amid ongoing local election campaigning. These elections will test Reform’s popularity and assess how it translates to voter turnout. Reform leads in some polls nationally, but it remains unclear how many seats that could translate to on May 1.

Farage also addressed the possibility of a political alliance with the formerly governing Conservatives, following former Conservative leadership contender Robert Jenrick‘s comments suggesting a united front on the right to challenge the ruling Labour Party. Farage stated unequivocally that his party’s supporters would resist any attempt to form an agreement with the Conservative Party, given its record governing from the left from 2010 to 2024 and broken promises on mass migration, which reached unprecedented heights towards the end of their final term.

Farage expressed outright distrust towards the Conservatives, positioning Reform as an alternative poised to replace them on the political right. Farage has advocated for a policy of net-zero migration, meaning that the number of immigrants should be no more than the number of people emigrating from the country.

WATCH:

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By Popular Demand.
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5 hours ago
William Upton
Education
NatSec

University Faces Scrutiny Over Undisclosed Millions From China.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Harvard University faces a U.S. Department of Education probe over $1.1 billion in foreign contributions, including $100 million from China, amid allegations of incomplete disclosures.

👥 Who’s Involved: Harvard University, U.S. Department of Education, Secretary Linda McMahon, Open The Books, and foreign entities, including those linked to China and the Palestinian territories.

📍 Where & When: Investigation announced in Washington, D.C., on April 18, 2025, following Open The Books’ report released on April 17, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: Secretary Linda McMahon stated, “Harvard has not been fully transparent or complete in its disclosures, which is both unacceptable and unlawful.”

⚠️ Impact: The probe could lead to penalties for Harvard, including loss of federal funding, and raises national security concerns over foreign influence, particularly from China, in U.S. academia.

IN FULL:

Harvard University faces increasing government scrutiny over its funding sources, with allegations emerging that it made “incomplete and inaccurate disclosures” regarding over a billion dollars in foreign contributions. Since 2017, the Ivy League institution has accepted $1.1 billion from foreign entities, with over $100 million coming from China. Additionally, it is believed Harvard took $1.6 million from organizations associated with the Palestinian territories.

The revised financial data comes from an investigation by Open the Books, which released its report on foreign gifts to Harvard on Thursday. On April 18, the U.S. Department of Education announced it was launching a probe into the university’s foreign funding, accusing Harvard of not being forthcoming with accurate data.

“As a recipient of federal funding, Harvard University must be transparent about its relations with foreign sources and governments,” President Donald J. Trump’s Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, said at the start of her department’s investigation. “Unfortunately, our review indicated that Harvard has not been fully transparent or complete in its disclosures, which is both unacceptable and unlawful.”

“This records request is the Trump Administration’s first step to ensure Harvard is not being manipulated by, or doing the bidding of, foreign entities, which include actors who are hostile to the interests of the United States and American students,” Sec. McMahon added.

The report released by Open the Books found that Harvard provides very little detail regarding what projects or programs received the Chinese money, though several million dollars were earmarked for research projects headed by a Chinese-designated lead. Financial arrangements that essentially guarantee the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) can designate individuals to serve in key roles raise serious national security concerns, given the numerous examples of Chinese nationals having engaged in corporate espionage and foreign spying in the past.

Harvard is currently locked in a protracted legal battle with the Trump administration over the university’s refusal to limit pro-Hamas and antisemitic protests on its campus. The Ivy League school faces losing potentially billions of dollars in federal funding.

Image by Joseph Williams.

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By Popular Demand.
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6 hours ago
TECH
World

South Korea Accuses DeepSeek of Unauthorized Data Transfer to Chinese Firm.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: South Korea’s data protection authority found that the Chinese AI app DeepSeek transferred personal data to a cloud services platform without user consent.

👥 Who’s Involved: The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC), DeepSeek, Volcano Engine, and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

📍 Where & When: The issue was identified in South Korea and announced on Thursday, April 24.

💬 Key Quote: “Initially, DeepSeek transferred personal data to companies located in China and the United States without obtaining users’ consent,” stated Nam Seok of the PIPC.

⚠️ Impact: DeepSeek has been suspended from download in South Korea—and a number of other localities—until its data practices are reviewed. The Chinese AI app has been the target of scrutiny over claims made regarding its technical specifications and data security. DeepSeek is only the latest Chinese-made app that has faced allegations of being a data mining tool for the CCP, with the social media app TikTok being the most prominent example.

IN FULL:

A South Korean government agency has uncovered that the Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) application DeepSeek was involved in the unauthorized transfer of personal data to a cloud service associated with ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) detailed on Thursday that the data, which included device specifics and user inputs, was being moved to servers hosted by Beijing’s Volcano Engine platform.

The broader implications of this revelation have prompted nations such as South Korea, Italy, and Australia, along with certain U.S. states, to either restrict or ban the app. DeepSeek, which had rapidly gained attention early this year due to its alleged ability to rival Western AI tools at a reduced cost, has assured cooperation with the PIPC and a prospective review of its data protection strategies.

The PIPC initiated a comprehensive investigation in February, compelling DeepSeek to halt new app downloads pending a stringent evaluation of its data collection methods. Speaking on behalf of the PIPC, Nam Seok highlighted the issue with DeepSeek collecting data without consent or transparent privacy disclosures. “Initially, DeepSeek transferred personal data to companies located in China and the United States without obtaining users’ consent, or disclosing this in the privacy policy at the time the service was launched,” Seok said, adding: “In particular, it was confirmed that DeepSeek transferred not only device, network, and app information, but also user inputs in AI prompts to Volcano Engine.”

Responding to Seoul’s findings, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) reaffirmed its commitment to data privacy and denied any involvement in mandating illegal data practices by firms or individuals. The Foreign Ministry, represented by spokesman Guo Jiakun, emphasized China’s supposed adherence to legal data collection standards.

The entity behind Volcano Engine, ByteDance, counts among its holdings the popular social media platform TikTok. Notably, TikTok and ByteDance have been accused of dubious data security practices in the United States, and the social media app faces a potential national ban if its Chinese parent company does not divest itself.

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By Popular Demand.
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6 hours ago
Jack Montgomery
Immigration
NatSec

FBI: Maduro’s Regime Aiding Infiltration of U.S. by Terrorist Group.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) indicates that Venezuelan officials may be aiding Tren de Aragua gang members’ entry into the United States, endangering national security.

👥 Who’s Involved: Venezuelan government officials, Tren de Aragua gang, FBI, Trump administration officials, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

📍 Where & When: United States, potential for Venezuelan state-sanctioned violence over the next six to 18 months. Chile, Ecuador, and Peru are also affected.

💬 Key Quote: “These findings should shock Americans but not the law enforcement community,” said a Trump administration official regarding the threat posed by these gang members.

⚠️ Impact: Heightened potential for threats, kidnappings, and violence against Americans, as well as Venezuelan expatriates critical of President Nicolás Maduro.

IN FULL:

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) believes that some officials within the Venezuelan government may be facilitating the entry of members from the Tren de Aragua, a gang classified as a foreign terrorist organization, into the United States. This presents a threat to public safety and national security, especially against Venezuelan nationals located in the U.S. who are critical of President Nicolás Maduro.

The FBI assesses that, within the next six to 18 months, these gang members could be used as proxies to execute threats, abductions, and potential killings targeting Venezuelan dissidents residing in the United States. This potential influx and use of gang members coincide with Venezuela’s similar destabilization tactics in other countries in the region, including Chile, Ecuador, and Peru.

“These findings should shock Americans but not the law enforcement community,” a Trump administration source commented. “They reflect the sentiments of numerous other intelligence assessments across multiple agencies. Nicholas Maduro is a Marxist dictator who hijacked a once-prosperous Venezuela and brought in nothing but total economic collapse and gang takeover. He crumbled Caracas, now overrun with drugs and violence, and wants to do the same across the United States by sending his most violent and dangerous criminals into our communities.”

On April 18, a classified National Intelligence Council report, which supposedly found no coordination between Tren de Aragua and the Venezuelan government, was leaked, but the FBI warning suggests this is inaccurate.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard condemned the leak and warned that the leakers and their media allies had “twisted and manipulated” the report “to convey the exact opposite finding.” She vowed that officials weaponizing classified intelligence “to undermine the President’s agenda” will face “the full force of the law.”

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By Popular Demand.
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